Posted on 10/27/2009 4:51:47 PM PDT by Graybeard58
Most mainlanders have trouble rousing much sympathy for teachers in Hawaii, who have to bear such indignities as perfect weather and sun-drenched beaches. Under the previous teachers-union contract, starting pay for a teacher with a master's degree was $46,609, about $1,800 above 2007-08. Those high salaries are a necessary evil for school officials because of the island state's extravagant cost of living.
This year, however, teachers will spend 17 fewer days gazingly longingly through their classroom windows at the blue skies and gently swaying palm trees. Unable to secure salary concessions, officials reduced the school year to 163 days, shortest in the United States, just weeks after Hawaii's favorite son, Barack Obama, called for a longer academic day and year.
Teachers unions profess to be "for the children" above all, but when it came down to a hard choice — the same work schedule for less money, or a succession of long weekends, also for less money — Hawaii's teachers chose the latter: every Friday off for the rest of the school year. Even the children know this can't be good. "The 16-year-old in me is pretty excited that I'll be able to chill on those days," a Honolulu high-school student said. "But overall within me, what I truly believe is that we'll regret this."
Hawaii's problem is Connecticut's problem, and every other state's problem: public-employee unionism. According to a report last April by USA Today, relying on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers employed by states or municipalities are paid 44 percent more in salary and benefits than those in the private sector. Teachers and other civil servants receive ample compensation, even in high-cost Hawaii.
Americans who have followed the teachers-contract dispute in Hawaii and witnessed similar conflicts in their own communities can't help but notice a disconnect between what the unions profess to believe and where their priorities actually lie. In Hawaii and elsewhere, teachers unions chose to inflict direct and unmistakable harm on the children because it believes school systems aren't paying teachers enough. If constituents find this to be unacceptable, they'll need to understand you get what you pay for — in this case, 163 instructional days instead of the 180 the schools were providing until the teachers union made its stand.
Perhaps the author meant "exorbitant".
Ping to a Republican-American Editorial.
If you want on or off this list, let me know.
So, all kids get off on Fridays for the rest of the year. Younger kids would need supervision, so do Mom &/or Dad have to take a vacation day each Friday from their jobs now, too?
Production goes down in the private sector from working parents also being forced to take a day off to watch the kids, since they’ll be running wild. Private sector suffers losses; tax revenues go down (which pay the teachers in the FIRST place) and employers start laying off because profits are down...
You can see where this is going...just let it snowball in your head a little...
Do ‘Rats EVER think beyond the first chess move? Yeesh!
“Teachers unions profess to be “for the children” “
Teacher use kids as human shields. They use subtle blackmail: no pay, no work, ill educated kids. And they get away with it as there is no correlation between pay and results.
Unions Building a New Aristocracy
"I'm just gonna say what everyone else in America is thinking: Hawaii...YOU'RE A P****!"
Triumph The Insult Comic Dog does the weather report for channel 8 in Honolulu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdoYXdcqT54
dammit browser f’d up, here’s the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdoYXdcqT54
It certainly gives a new definition to "Aloha Friday" in Hawaii.
sw
I agree with the editorial, but the sad thing is that with proper instruction these kids could get the same degree of education in 2-1/2 day weeks.
I speak from experience, having home schooled a kid and dealt with the school system, also. 75% of the time at school is not academic learning.
Liberal definition: socialization = indoctrination
Thanks for the ping Graybeard.
Yes, the adminstrative garbage is ridiculous these days. Academics are almost an afterthought.
That was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a LOOOOONG time! Thanks!
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